Canopy chair

• US 7,815,254 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spin Master Incorporated (Spin Master Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Swimways Corp. (Spin Master Corp.)
• Inventors: Reeb, David, Robinette, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/509,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 297/184.1, 297/184.11, 297/184.15, 297/17, 135/95, 135/96
• US Class Current: 297/184.15
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0265 positioned under the arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/00 Foldable, collapsible or dismountable chairs of tubular metal type A47C5/10; children's foldable chairs A47D1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/66 Means to protect against weather

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a frame which attaches to outdoor furniture, in particular to a chair, and a canopy. Embodiments can be moved from an overhead position to a behind the chair position. The frames can be moved from a collapsed to a fully extended position. In embodiments the canopy can be positioned to contain the collapsed frame and chair in the carrying position.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair; and

a canopy having a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame having a first position and a second position different from the first position, the canopy frame including an upper first elongate member and an upper second elongate member,

the canopy including a canopy membrane coupled to the canopy frame, the canopy including a plurality of connectors configured to couple the canopy frame to the canopy membrane, the plurality of connectors configured to define a range of motion of the upper first elongate member in at least a direction substantially perpendicular to a centerline of the upper first elongate member when the canopy frame is moved between the first position and the second position, the canopy membrane having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the canopy membrane defining a container configured to wrap around at least a portion of the chair when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the upper first elongate member is disposed between at least a portion of a connector from the plurality of connectors and at least a portion of the canopy membrane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a connector from the plurality of connectors is elongate along a centerline substantially perpendicular to a centerline of the upper first elongate member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connectors is configured to limit movement of the upper first elongate member relative to the canopy membrane in a direction substantially parallel to the centerline of the upper first elongate member when the canopy frame is moved between the first position and the second position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a connector from the plurality of connectors is one of a sleeve or a pocket.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the canopy membrane is substantially parallel to a back frame member of the chair when the canopy membrane is in the expanded configuration and the canopy frame is in the first position, at least a portion of the canopy membrane is substantially parallel to a seat frame member of the chair when the canopy membrane is in the expanded configuration and the canopy frame is in the second position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first position is a behind-the-chair position and the second position is an overhead position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a single elongate member configured to couple the upper first elongate member to the chair, the single elongate member having a first end pivotably coupled to a back frame member of the chair and a second end operatively coupled to the upper first elongate member via a pivotable connector such that the upper first elongate member is configured to move with at least one degree of freedom in translation or rotation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a single elongate member configured to couple the upper first elongate member to the chair, the single elongate member having a first end coupled to a back frame member such that at least a portion of the single elongate member is slideably received within a lumen defined by the back frame member of the chair when the canopy frame is in the first position, the single elongate member having a second end operatively coupled to the upper first elongate member via a pivotable connector such that the upper first elongate member is configured to move with at least one degree of freedom in translation or rotation.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair having a collapsed configuration and an open configuration; and

a canopy having a canopy frame coupled to the chair and having a canopy membrane, the canopy frame having an overhead position, a behind-the-chair position and a carrying position, the canopy frame including an upper first elongate member and an upper second elongate member, the upper first elongate member having a range of motion between (a) a first position relative to the canopy membrane when the canopy frame is in overhead position and the chair is in the open configuration and (b) a second position relative to the canopy membrane when the canopy frame is the behind-the chair position and the chair is in the collapsed configuration,

the canopy membrane coupled to the canopy frame by a plurality of connectors such that at least a portion of the upper first elongate member is disposed between at least a portion of a connector from the plurality of connectors and at least a portion of the canopy membrane, at least one connector from the plurality of connectors defining, at least in part, the range of motion.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the canopy membrane is configured to wrap around at least a portion of the chair when the chair is collapsed and when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the canopy member has at least one internal segment and at least one external segment defining a hinge,

the upper first elongate member having a first end spaced from an adjacent location on the hinge by a first distance when the canopy frame is in the overhead position and the chair is in the open configuration,

the first end of the upper first elongate member being spaced from the adjacent location on the hinge by a second distance when the canopy frame is the behind-the chair position and the chair is in the collapsed configuration, and

the second distance is greater than the first distance.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one connector from the plurality of connectors is elongate along a centerline substantially perpendicular to a centerline of the upper first elongate member.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a single elongate member configured to couple the upper first elongate member to the chair, the single elongate member having a first end pivotably coupled to a back frame member of the chair and a second end operatively coupled to the upper first elongate member via a pivotable connector such that the upper first elongate member is configured to move with at least one degree of freedom in translation or rotation.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a single elongate member configured to couple the upper first elongate member to the chair, the single elongate member having a first end coupled to a back frame member such that at least a portion of the single elongate member is slideably received within a lumen defined by the back frame member of the chair when the canopy frame is in the overhead position, the single elongate member having a second end operatively coupled to the upper first elongate member via a pivotable connector such that the upper first elongate member is configured to move with at least one degree of freedom in translation or rotation.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one connector is configured to limit movement of the upper first elongate member relative to the canopy membrane in a direction substantially parallel to the centerline of the upper first elongate member when the canopy frame is moved between the behind-the-chair position and the carrying position.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one connector is one of a sleeve or a pocket.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a first end portion of the upper first elongate member includes an opening configured to receive an elongate member having a centerline substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the upper first elongate member.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair; and

a canopy having a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame having a first position and a second position different from the first position, the canopy frame including an upper first elongate member and an upper second elongate member, a first end portion of the upper first elongate member including an opening configured to receive an elongate member having a centerline substantially perpendicular to a centerline of the upper first elongate member, the elongate member configured to limit movement of the upper first elongate member relative to a canopy membrane in a direction substantially parallel to the centerline of the upper first elongate member when the canopy frame is moved between the first position and the second position,

the canopy including the canopy membrane coupled to the canopy frame, the canopy membrane having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the canopy membrane defining a container configured to wrap around at least a portion of the chair when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the canopy includes a plurality of connectors configured to couple the canopy frame to the canopy membrane, at least one connector from the plurality of connectors configured to limit movement of the upper first elongate member relative to the canopy membrane in the direction when the canopy frame moves between the first position and the second position.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least one connector from the plurality of connectors is one of a sleeve or a pocket.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first position is a behind-the-chair position and the second position is an overhead position.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the canopy membrane is substantially parallel to a back frame member of the chair when the canopy membrane is in the expanded configuration and the canopy frame is in the first position, at least a portion of the canopy membrane is substantially parallel to a seat frame member of the chair when the canopy membrane is in the expanded configuration and the canopy frame is in the second position.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a second end portion of the upper first elongate member includes an opening configured to receive an elongate member having a centerline substantially perpendicular to the centerline of the upper first elongate member.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the elongate member is a pin.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a single elongate member configured to couple the upper first elongate member to the chair, the single elongate member having a first end pivotably coupled to a back frame member of the chair and a second end operatively coupled to the upper first elongate member via a pivotable connector such that the upper first elongate member is configured to move with at least one degree of freedom in translation or rotation.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a single elongate member configured to couple the upper first elongate member to the chair, the single elongate member having a first end coupled to a back frame member of the chair such that at least a portion of the single elongate member is slideably received within a lumen defined by the back frame member of the chair when the canopy frame is in the first position, the single elongate member having a second end operatively coupled to the upper first elongate member via a pivotable connector such that the upper first elongate member is configured to move with at least one degree of freedom in translation or rotation.